Ursuline Leading The Way

Eight girls from Ursuline High School are the first to take part in a new and innovative heritage and visitor resource for Wimbledon. They are helping to create The Wimbledon Way which will bring the story of Wimbledon alive through a website, leaflets and a marked walking route taking visitors through the town centre, Wimbledon Village and to the All England Lawn Tennis Club.

Ursuline girls researched Wimbledon’s heritage with the help of local historians and using resources at the Museum of Wimbledon. The girls learnt about how the introduction of Wimbledon Station transformed the area, Wimbledon’s long connection with sport, present and past wildlife on Wimbledon Common and how a World War II bomb fell in the playing fields of Ursuline High School.

Through support from Merton Chamber of Commerce and £45,000 from the Heritage Lottery Fund, Merton’s communities will be encouraged to learn about and participate in producing heritage information for The Wimbledon Way. People living in Merton are invited to tell their own fascinating story about Wimbledon. Personal stories can be presented through pictures, written and spoken memories, podcasts, blogs and videos that will be used for The Wimbledon Way website, leaflets, information boards and QR code technology to accompany the walk. Everyone walking the route will literally walk through some of Wimbledon’s fascinating stories about its history, heritage and culture.

In the summer of 2012, with Wimbledon hosting the Olympic tennis competition just two weeks after the annual Wimbledon Championships, there will be a great chance for Wimbledon to not only celebrate the Olympic and Paralympic Games but to present Wimbledon’s heritage to visitors from all over the world. Hundreds of thousands of people will walk The Wimbledon Way this summer and have the chance to learn more about Wimbledon.